Sometimes you need a moment to relax and recharge, and I definitely hit my breaking point by May.
By mid-May, I was going through my routines every day to get everything done and crashing come bedtime. Travel was occurring back to back, and I did not feel like I was recovering during the week. Instead, I was working from dusk to dawn, and pushing through via caffeine. Stress was getting the best of me.
I know that I cannot keep up that pace, and that genuine self-care is definitely necessary to maintain mental and physical health while busy. Stress can take over in negative ways without breaks, so our girl’s weekend came right on time.
Recharge
I was tired of traveling, but my two best friends and I scheduled a girl’s weekend that happened to be my last trip after a series of travel beginning in mid-February. Though I was tired, I was looking forward to spending time with my girls, my Day 1’s, my best friends of 20 years. We chose to travel a few hours away from where we live because:
- We did not want to be too accessible to spouses, boyfriends, and or kids
- We did not want to feel the need to schedule any meetings or quick errands
- We wanted to create our own experience with seafood and a beautiful beach thrown in
Leaving town was not as simple as we would have hoped. Each and every one of us had to push our leave time back by 15-30 minutes because work wouldn’t let us go.
Nonetheless, we left one hour later than expected and arrived at our Air BnB ready to eat and find a beach. Our Air BnB was as expected with better views than anticipated. Humidity was lower than usual, so we spent the first evening eating seafood, drinking a few mixed cocktails, and enjoying the white sand and sounds from the ocean.
Immediately upon feeling the cool sand between my toes, I knew the trip was going to be exactly what I needed to silence my mind and recharge.
My best friends are always a source of support and relaxation. Girl chat can be some of the best conversations, and this time together was no exception. Alongside beach time, we went to sleep with no set time to wake up and get started. Instead, we all reclaimed our sleep, made breakfast together, and sat down together to enjoy the time together.
Relaxing
I cannot express how relaxing simply getting enough sleep and waking gradually can be for the body and mind. Not setting an alarm, and allowing the body to come out of sleep helped to allow me to let go of stress. Sleeping and waking without expectation truly allowed my mind and body to live naturally and we even did some stretching together before breakfast (my best friend is a yoga teacher #winning).
Pro tip: If you visit Florida, hit the beach first thing in the morning before everyone arrives and the sun reaches full force. Also, beach umbrellas and sun protection are a MUST. Lastly, drink water while in the hot sun.
Florida is humid so it can be easy to ignore thirst, but in order to avoid sun poisoning, hydrate regularly. Lastly, reapply sun protection at regular intervals to avoid damaging the skin.
After lunch, we took a quick nap and decided to shop for a bit. I had no plans to purchase anything, but we went to a Nike outlet and I felt quite accomplished leaving with only two pairs of shoes. One of my favorite brands for good running shoes is Nike and I needed a new pair, so I took advantage of the outlet prices and purchased a few.
Reviving
Post dinner, we decided to spend the evening enjoying Prosecco, chatting on the dock, and playing board games in the warm Florida night. Nope, we didn’t go out and find a great party because this trip was about spending time together alongside relaxation.
Connecting with my girls and lazy days was just what my soul needed. Sunday morning we woke late and spent far too much time watching Beyonce’s Homecoming documentary, so we decided to eat lunch in town after check-out before heading home.
Was it a short trip? Absolutely, because we are all busy with people who depend on us. Nonetheless, it was exactly what we needed, and plans for our next trip are in the works.
For me, the best kind of self-care can come from spending time with my tribe, and now I feel recharged and ready for the days ahead.
